Failsafe apparatus for administering a parenteral solution

ABSTRACT

A set for administering a premeasured volume of parenteral solution from a prime fluid supply, utilizing a valve arrangement which prevents the possibility of the prime fluid supply being connected directly to the patient and enables repeat administration without manipulation of an antiair-entrainment valve.

United States Patent Inventor William F. Butler Oakland, Calif.

Appl. No. 830,934

Filed June 6, 1969 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 Assignee Cutter Laboratories,Inc.

Berkeley, Calif.

FAILSAFE APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING A PARENTERAL SOLUTION 4 Claims, 11Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 128/214 C, 222/67, 222/444 Int. Cl ..A6lm 05/14 Field of Search128/213,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,045 8/1951 Ray 222/444X 2,783,920 3/1957 Negoro..... 222/444 X 3,056,403 10/1962 Gewecke.....128/214 3,216,419 11/1965 Scislowicz 128/214 3,465,784 9/ 1 969 Cofoid137/390 FORElGN PATENTS 438,611 11/1935 Great Britain 128/214 PrimaryE.raminer Dalton L. Truluck Attorneys-Owen, Wickersham & Erickson andBertram Bradley ABSTRACT: A set for administering a premeasured volumeof parenteral solution from a prime fluid supply, utilizing a valvearrangement which prevents the possibility of the prime fluid supplybeing connected directly to the patient and enables repeatadministration without manipulation of an antiairentrainment valve.

PATENTEI] BEE 71971 3,625,211

SHEET 1 Bf 2 FIGH INVENTOR. WILLIAM F BUTLER ATTORNEYS PATENTEUDEB 1m I3525211 SHEET 2 UP 2 FIG."

INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. BUTLER 01., MM M244.

ATTORNEYS FAILSAFE APPARATUS FUR ADMINISTERING A PARENTERAIL SOLUTIONThis invention relates to an apparatus for administering a parenteralsolution and is characterized by being especially safe from thestandpoint of the person to whom the solution is being administered.

In the administration of intravenous solutions, there are certaininstances when it is necessary to limit the fluid volume; for example,infusion to infants and to other small persons must be carefully kept tosmall volumes, or else their lives are put in danger. Some apparatus onthe market have been designed to serve this function, and the best oneshave included a rubber float acting as a check valve between themeasuring chamber and a drip barrel, to stop fluid flow to the patientwhen the measuring chamber has been emptied and to insure against thelevel in the drip barrel being lost. However, these prior art sets havepresented the following problems:

1. When it was desired to administer an additional measured volume ofthe fluid, it was necessary to add fluid to the measuring chamber andthen to displace air from the drip barrel by compressing it, in order tounseat the check valve and to reestablish flow. This operation has attimes caused the fluid level in the drip barrel to rise to a point wherethe drops could not be observed, so that the flow rate could not beproperly controlled.

2. If the upper tubing clamp were not completely shut off during theinfusion, the patient was connected directly to the main fluid supply,and if this were not detected, he could receive too much of the fluidand fatality might result.

The present invention is intended to solve these problems by providing adifferent way of connecting the measuring chamber with the main fluidsupply and the drip barrel with the measuring chamber in a combinationsuch that one cannot at the same time have fluid from the main supplygoing into the measuring chamber and fluid coming from the measuringchamber to the drip barrel and into the patient. The invention employs atwo-way valve which at one time connects a fluid inlet leading fromadditional stored solution to the volumetric chamber and only at aseparate time connects the volumetric chamber to the drip barrel andthence to the patient. The main or prime fluid supply is never connectedto the patient.

Some fluids foam when introduced from the top of the measuring chamber,and foaming makes accurate measurement impossible. This foaming does nottake place in the present invention where the fluid is introduced intothe bottom of the measuring chamber.

An understanding of the importance of these features and other objectsand advantages of the invention will appear from the followingdescription of a preferred form thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a view of elevation of an apparatus for administeringparenteral solution, embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of the measuring chamber anddrip barrel, joined by a valve according to this invention, the valvebeing in the position connecting the measuring chamber to the dripbarrel.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2and FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 4-4 in FIG.3, but reduced in scale.

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2, with the valve in theposition connecting the prime fluid solution supply to the measuringchamber and simultaneously preventing flow from the measuring chamber tothe drip barrel.

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken along the line 77 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 8-8 in FIG.7.

FIG. 9 is a view in section taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view in section of a modified form of valveusable in the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a similar view with the valve in a different position.

The elements are preferably made from transparent plastic materials. Atubing 10 conducts prepared parenteral solution from a main supplycontainer 11 to a control valve 12. The control valve 112 is atwo-position valve; it may have a cylindrical member 13 with a handle14, that is rotatable in a housing 15 with a cylindrical bore 16. Anaxial central passage 17 is connected directly from the tubing 10 to aradial portion 18 that in one position (FIG. 6-9 leads into the lowerend of a calibrated measuring chamber 20 through a passage 21, and inthe other position (FIG. 2-5) the radial passage 18 is cut off from thepassage 21. In that other position, a semicircular peripheral passage 22connects the passage 21 to a passage 23 that leads directly into theupper end of a drip barrel 24, by a drip outlet 25. The semicircularpassage 22 is cut off from the passage 21 when the radial passage 18 isconnected to the passage 21. The valve 12 is purposely made so that atno time can the passage 21 be connected simultaneously to both passages18 and 22.

The measuring chamber has an air vent 26 and a medication inlet 27 andis suspended from the tube 10 by a noncommunicating support member 28. Arubber float 30 may be provided to act as a check valve, in connectionwith a float retainer cage 32. This float valve 30 is elevated from theupper end 33 of the passage 21 when the chamber 20 is being rechargedthrough the tube 10 and valve passages 17 and 18. When closed, it allowsa slow drop-by-drop passage of fluid from the chamber 20 to flow by thevalve passage 22 and the passage 23 into the drip chamber 24.

The lower end of the drip chamber 24 leads by a conduit 34 to ahypodermic needle 35. A conventional flow valve 36 may be used toregulate the rate of flow from the drip chamber 24 to the patient.

In use, the tubing 10, being connected to the main fluid supply 11,supplies fluid to the measuring chamber 20 when the valve I2 is in theposition shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, but not otherwise. To begin with, atleast 20 cc. of fluid is allowed to flow through the tube 10 and thepassageways l7, l8 and 21, to unseat the check valve 30 and flow intothe chamber 20. After the chamber 20 has received about 20 cc. the valve12 is then moved to the position shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, and fluid supplyfrom the tube 10 is cut off, while the measuring chamber 20 is then opento the drip barrel 24 through the passageways 21, 22, and 23. Byadjusting the flow valve 36 a desired drip level is established in thedrip barrel 24. The conduit 34 is filled with fluid until air bubblesare cleared and the drip barrel 24 is partially full. This volume in thedrip barrel 24 then prevents air bubbles from entering the conduit 34,all this being prior to any administration to the patient.

The valve 12 is then returned to the position of FIGS. 6-9, and fluid iscaused to flow from the main supply 11 into the measuring chamber 20until the desired volume is obtained for administration to the patient.The needle 35 may then be injected into the patient and the valve 12returned to the position shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, and the measured amountis enabled to flow slowly by drops into the drip chamber 24, and fromthe drip barrel 24 through the conduit 36 to the patient. Since thevalve 12 has two operating positions and since in between thesepositions it is cut off in both ways, it is impossible for the mainsupply of fluid to be connected directly to the patient.

When it is desired to administer additional volumes of fluid, the valve12 is simply returned to the position of FIGS. 6 to 9, cutting off flowto the drip chamber 24 while refilling the measuring chamber 20 to thedesired level, and the process is repeated by once again turning thevalve 12. In prior art sets, in order to refill safely, it was necessaryto pinch the tubing under the drip chamber 24 with one hand and squeezethe drip chamber 24 with the other hand to make the rubber float 30rise, or in some other way to manipulate the rubber float 30 until itrises. In this invention, the float 30 is automatically unseated whenthe valve 12 is open to fluid supply.

While the preferred arrangement is the two-position valve 12 at the verybottom of the chamber 20 as shown, this is not always necessary. Ifdesired, in place of a single two-way valve, two valves permanentlyconnected together for operation, so that one must be closed before theother is opened, may be employed, and then one valve may be at adifferent location from the other, so long as the connection isphysically maintained. However, the embodiment shown is usually moreconvenient.

FIGS. and ll show a modified form of two-position valve means 40 forconnecting the conduit 10 to the measuring chamber 20 in a firstposition only, while connecting the measuring chamber 20 to the dripbarrel 24 in a second position only. Here, a valve housing 41 has acylindrical bore 42 in which a cylindrical valve member 43 is rotatable.The passages 21 and 23 are vertical and are part of the housing 41,which also has a horizontal passage 44 connected to the tube 10. Thevalve member 43 has a through passage 45 and a tee passage 46. When thetee passage 46 is in line with the passage 21 and the passage 45 alignedwith the passage 44, the measuring chamber 20 can be refilled, butnothing can pass to the drip barrel 24. When the through passage 45 isvertical, the drip barrel 24 is connected to the passage 21 of themeasuring chamber, but the tee passage 42 is then cut off.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, manychanges in construction and widely differing embodiments andapplications of the invention will suggest themselves without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for administering a parenteral solution, including incombination:

a fluid supply container,

a measuring chamber below said container and having a lower end,

a drip barrel below the lower end of said chamber,

a conduit connected at an upper end to said fluid supply container andhaving a lower end connected to a point below said chamber and abovesaid barrel,

two-position valve means connected to the lower end of said measuringchamber and having a first position in which and only in which itconnects said chamber to said conduit and having a second position inwhich and only in which it connects said measuring chamber to said dripbarrel, said valve means having means positively preventing flow offluid from said conduit to said drip barrel at any time, said apparatushaving means connected to the drip barrel for attaching to and supplyingparenteral solution to a patient.

2. An apparatus for administering a parenteral solution comprising:

a fluid supply container,

a measuring chamber below said container and having a lower end,

a drip barrel below the lower end of said chamber,

a first conduit leading from said fluid supply container connected to apoint between the chamber and barrel,

two-position valve means connected to the lower end of said measuringchamber and having a first position in which and only in which itconnects said chamber to said first conduit and having a second positionin which and only in which it connects said measuring chamber to saiddrip barrel, said valve means having means positively preventing flow offluid from said first conduit to said drip barrel at any time;

check valve means inside said measuring chamber at said lower end justabove said two-position valve means,

passageway means leading to said two-position valve means and closed bysaid check valve means when said measuring chamber is emlpty, saidpassage means leading from said measuring c amber via said two-positionvalve means when it is in its said second position to said drip barrelthrough an orifice drip;

a second conduit connected to said drip barrel at one end, said secondconduit adapted to be connected to a patient at its other end; and

a control valve on said second conduit to regulate fluid flow to thepatient.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said check valve means comprises aretainer cage at the lower end of said chamber above the upper end ofsaid passageway means and having an upper wall spaced above said upperend,

a float retained in said cage and forced upwardly toward said upper wallwhen fluid flows into said chamber from said first conduit via saidtwo-position valve, and

means provided by incomplete seating of said float on said upper end forallowing slow drop-by-drop passage of fluid from said chamber into saidpassage means when said two-position valve is in said second position.

4. An apparatus for administering a parenteral solution, in-

cluding in combination:

a fluid supply container having a first conduit leading from a lower endthereof,

a measuring chamber below said container and having a lower end with asecond conduit connected thereto,

a drip barrel below the lower end of said chamber with a third conduitleading to the upper end thereof,

two-position valve means connected to said second conduit and having afirst position in which and only in which it connects said secondconduit to said first conduit and having a second position in which andonly in which it connects said second conduit to said third conduit,said valve means having means positively preventing flow of fluid fromsaid first conduit to said third conduit at any time said drip barrelhaving means extending from the lower end thereof for attaching andsupplying parenteral solution to a patient.

t t It I I?

1. An apparatus for administering a parenteral solution, including incombination: a fluid supply container, a measuring chamber below saidcontainer and having a lower end, a drip barrel below the lower end ofsaid chamber, a conduit connected at an upper end to said fluid supplycontainer and having a lower end connected to a point below said chamberand above said barrel, two-position valve means connected to the lowerend of said measuring chamber and having a first position in which andonly in which it connects said chamber to said conduit and having asecond position in which and only in which it connects said measuringchamber to said drip barrel, said valve means having means positivelypreventing flow of fluid from said conduit to said drip barrel at anytime, said apparatus having means connected to the drip barrel forattaching to and supplying parenteral solution to a patient.
 2. Anapparatus for administering a parenteral solution comprising: a fluidsupply container, a measuring chamber below said container and having alower end, a drip barrel below the lower end of said chamber, a firstconduit leading from said fluid supply container connected to a pointbetween the chamber and barrel, two-position valve means connected tothe lower end of said measuring chamber and having a first position inwhich and only in which it connects said chamber to said first conduitand having a second position in which and only in which it connects saidmeasuring chamber to said drip barrel, said valve means having meanspositively preventing flow of fluid from said first conduit to said dripbarrel at any time; check valve means inside said measuring chamber atsaid lower end just above said two-position valve means, passagewaymeans leading to said two-position valve means and closed by said checkvalve means when said measuring chamber is empty, said passage meansleading from said measuring chamber via said two-position valve meanswhen it is in its said second position to said drip barrel through anorifice drip; a second conduit connected to said drip barrel at one end,said second conduit adapted to be connected to a patient at its otherend; and a control valve on said second conduit to regulate fluid flowto the patient.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said check valvemeans comprises a retainer cage at the lower end of said chamber abovethe upper end of said passageway means and having an upper wall spacedabove said upper end, a float retained in said cage and forced upwardlytoward said upper wall when fluid flows into said chamber from saidfirst conduit via said two-position valve, and means provided byincomplete seating of said float on said upper end for allowing slowdrop-by-drop passage of fluid from said chamber into said passage meanswhen said two-position valve is in said second position.
 4. An apparatusfor administering a parenteral solution, including in combination: afluid supply container having a first conduit leading from a lower endthereof, a measuring chamber below said container and having a lower endwith a second conduit connected thereto, a drip barrel below the lowerend of said chamber with a third conduit leading to the upper endthereof, two-position valve means connected to said second conduit andhaving a first position in which and only in which it connects saidsecond conduit to said first conduit and having a second position inwhich and only in which it connects said second conduit to said thirdconduit, said valve means having means positively preventing flow offluid from said first conduit to said third conduit at any time saiddrip barrel having means extending from the lower end thereof forattaching and supplying parenteral solution to a patient.